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Dom Dwyer expresses interest in playing for USMNT

The English-born striker may suit up for the U.S. one day.

Gary Rohman-USA TODAY Sports

Dom Dwyer is still three years away from getting United States citizenship, but he is already considering the possibility of playing for the Yanks one day. Dwyer, who was born in England and came to the U.S. for college, has scored 14 goals this season, second most in MLS.

"Every player wants to play on the international stage," Dwyer told MLS Soccer. "I think if I were to get called in the future and have an opportunity, I think that's something every player would love to do and dream of.

"If the offer ever came to me, I think it would be a difficult one to say no to," he said. "I'm from England, born and raised there, but I've been in the US for quite a few years and have a lot of love for this country and enjoy being here."

Dwyer got his green card in 2012, which means he will be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship in 2017. Citizenship isn't always granted right away -- the process could take a few weeks or even months -- but it's safe to say that Dwyer will be an American citizen at some point that year if he wants it. And as soon as he gets it, he will be eligible to play for the U.S. as long as he doesn't play for England between now and then.

Another complication could be the residency requirement to apply for citizenship. If Dwyer continues to play well, he could get the chance to move to Europe, likely for an English side and that would kill his chances of getting citizenship.

In the meantime, Dwyer has to keep scoring goals. He had a great start to the season and set the USL PRO single-season scoring record last year, but it's still a small sample size. We'll see if he continues to play well and is good enough for the U.S., regardless of whether or not he's eligible. For now, he's just another player to keep an eye on.